X-ray apparatus



Nov. 24, 1925- v w. MEYER X-RAY APPARATUS Original Filec} Feb. 18 1918 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Mlllm? meg e2 W Nov. 24,1925 1,562,650

W. MEYER X-RAY APPARATUS Original Filed 1918 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ing mounted on members adapted for sliding movement along horizontal rails attached to the side of the table 2. Vhere it is desired to have the X-ray tube portable, the standard 1 may be equipped with an ordinary tripod base provided with caster wheels. j

A sleeve member 3 is arranged for vertical movement along the standard 1. This sleeve comprises an upper shell or head member 4 and a lower shell or head member 5, connected by a sleeve 6. The opposite ends of the sleeve 6 seat in annular recesses in the respective shells 4 and and are suitably secured therein as by means of screws 7. Each of the shells or. head members 4 and 5 is formed with pairs of projecting ears 88 between which are ournaled rollers 9. Ball bearings 10 are interposed between each roller 9 and its axle or pivot 11 as clearly shown in Fig. 3. There are preferably three of these rollers 9 provided for each shell or head member, two of which bear on the periphery of the standard 1 and the third of which engages in a vertical track 12 secured as by means of suitable screws 14 to the standard 1. This track consists of a flat bar having a substantially square groove cut or rolled in the outer flat side to provide a guide for the roller. This flat bar is fastened to the column 1 by screws having countersunk heads. The groove thereby provided along the standard 1 in connection with the rollers which run or engage in it forms a longitudinalspline or 'keywa-y that prevents turning of the carriage or sleeve 3 on the column l. The sleeve member 3 has a slightly larger internal diameter, than the outside diameter of the standard 1 and 1s spaced away from the standard 1 to avoid friction, by the inwardly projecting rollers 9. The sleeve 3 and connected rollers form a carriage for the X-ray tube and its adjustments.

A boss 15 is formed on the lower shell 5 and has a threaded hole therethrough for the reception of the clamping screw 16. A separate plug 17 is disposed in the threaded hole between the clamping screw 16 and the standard 1. This plug 17 can have clamping engagement with the surface of the standard 1 without danger of marring the same.

An outer sleeve 20 rotatable about the inner sleeve 6 is confined between the shells 4 and 5 and encircles the sleeve 6. Small internal flanges 21 21 at the ends of the sleeve 20 bear on thesurface of the inner sleeve 6 and space the outer sleeve therefrom. The sleeve 20 is provided with a boss 22 for re ceiving a clamping screw 23 and ,plug 24. The plug 24, like the plug 17, is adapted to have clamping engagement with the surface of the inner sleeve 6 without marring or otherwise injuring the same.

A. hub portion 25 is formed integral with the 'naled on the stud 26. The yoke is retained in place on the hub 25 by a washer 33 and cap screw 34, which threads into the stud 26. Referring to Fig. 4, a resilient clamping member 35 of wrought iron or the like, encircles the stud 26 within the cap 28. EX- tending ears 36 on the ends of the clamping member 35 lie between bosses 37 in the cap 28. through which bosses thread hand screws 38. These hand screws 38 are provided with insulating handles 39. The hand screws 38 are guided by small guide members 40 extending from the yoke member 27.

lVhen pressure on the ends of the clamp 35 is released the clamp springs open so that the frictional engagement between it and the stud 26 is small. When the yoke 27 has been tilted about the stud 26 to the desired angle, it is secured in the desired position by tightening up one or both hand screws 38.

Bosses 27 on the ends of the arm of the yoke member 27 support square bars 42 which are rigidly set therein with the edges of the bars upward. These bars comprise the side members of a frame 43 which frame carries the X-ray tube 45. Mounted on top of the standard 1 is a cap 46 having bracket arms 47 between which is pivoted a pulley 48. A cable 49 runs over this pulley and has one end thereof attached to a lug 50 on the upper shell 4. The other end of the cable extends down through a central aperture in the cap 46 into the tubular support 1 where it is attached to a counterweight 51.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that the tube carrying frame may be conveniently adjusted by movement of the entire sleeve or carriage member 3 vertically along the standard 1, the sleeve member 20 about the sleeve member 6 Or the yoke 27 about the stud 26 to practically any desired position or angle. Vertical adjustment is readily obtained by releasing the clamping screw 16 and rolling or moving the entire unit up or down the standard 1. The weight of the sleeves, the frame, and the X-ray tube mechanism is nicely counterbalanced by the weight 51 and this vertical adjustment requires very little elfort. By releasing the clamping screw 23, the frame 43 may be revolved to any angular position about the standard 1 throughout the full 360. lVhen it is desired to direct the X-rays diagonally down upon the table 2, the frame 43 is tilted with respect to the standard 1 to the desired angle about the stud 26. The frame may be clamped in a vertical plane with the rays table 2.

ends 59 which engage in suitable openings in said side members. The ring 58 has a radial flange upon which a ring rests. This latter ring has diametrically opposite ledges '61 to which are secured wood strips 62. These stripsha've their inner ends cut on a curve and are conformed to overlap and clamp the flared base 63 of a lead glass shield Get to the ring 58. The curved ends of the strips 62 conform to the curved periphery of the shield and prevent lateral n'iovement thereof, relative vertical movement between the shield and ring being prevented by suitable screws (not shown), one of which may be manipulated to clan'ip the ring and shield against relative relative or angular movement. Similar screws engage the flange of the conmression tube (38 to clan'ip the same in the ring oS beneath the shield (i l.

The shield (3 t has the usual openings to receive the limbs 71 of the X-ray tube The limbs 71 are supported between rubber cushions 72 glued or otherwise secured to cross bars adjnstably mounted upon uprights 74. The cross bars 73 and uprights 7a are preferably of wood or other insulation. The uprights are mounted in a wooden block 75 attached to the outer end of the strip 62.

It will be noted from Fig. l thatthe shield openings 70 extend down quite close to the base of the shield. F or l(ray treatment, the tube is preferably lowered in the shield '64 by adjustment of the cross bars 753 until the tube reaches the desired position. It should be noted that the tube mounting means and shield formation permits arrangement of the tube with a relatively great portion of its periphery projecting through the neck portion adjacent the end of the shield and into the plane of the lower edge of the shield as shown in dotted lines.

The carriage 57 may be retained in the desired position along the frame 43 along which it is movable in any desired manner. The ring 58 which with the tube l5, shell 64 and tube 68 is adjustable about the axes of the reduced. trunnion ends 59 is adapted to be clamped in any angular position by a screw which is adapted for cooperation with or to bear against a sector arm 91 pinned to one of the reduced trunnion ends The shank of the screw 90 e? is through an arcnate s'l'ot in t 'he arm tll 1d threads into the adjacent side meniliero t the frame or carriage 56.

The rays radiating from the tube are confined against lateral propagation by the shield and ring 58.

To submit a patient to X-ray trez'i tn-ient, the compression tube (38 which is employed only in the taking of shadowgraphs, is removed. A tube of proper resistance is pro vided and current strengththrongh the tube is regulated to a proper value to give out the desired rays. I i

The proportion ing of the densities of the rays and characteristics of the rays for radiographic work, as distinguished from those for fluoroscopic work and the manner in which the "adjustabilities already set out function with the pivotal mounting of the ring 58 in the carriage 56 which is adj ustable along the frame 43 in facilitating use and effecting such good results, in a particular adaptation of the invention, have been fully discussed in my heretofore referued to 'co pending application. The facility of operation and adjustment provided may be used to other advantages.

I do not intend to be limited to theparticular details described, as it will be ap parent that my invention is susceptible of extensive modification to meet ipa rticular requirements.

I claim:

1. In an Xray tube stand, a stationary tubular standard comprising a thin wall tube, a track along said tubular standard comprising a channel shaped strip attached to the ou-tsidesurface of said tube, a sleeve member movable along said standatd, rollers on said sleeve member engaging said standard, one of said roll-ers engaging with said track to prevent rotation between said sleeve and said standard, a 'clan'iping screw on said sleeve member for clamp ing tl same in any adjustcd position, a secondary sleeve -inen'iber ro'tatal'ileabout said first sleeve member, a screw for clamping said secondary sleeve men'iber at any angular adjustment, :1 frame pivoted to said secondary sleeve memher, said frame being adapted for angular movement relative to said secondary sleeve member, clamping means for said frame, and a counterweight for counterbalancing said sleeve member and said frame.

2. In an X-ray tube stand, a stationary standard comprising a thin walled tube, a sleeve member movable along said tube, a channel track member secured longitudinally on the thin Walled tube and extending past said sleeve member Without interfering with the movement of said member along the tube, anti-friction rollers at the ends of the sleeve centering same on the tube, one of said rollers fitting laterally Within the channel track to prevent movement of the sleeve around the tube without impairing the mechanical strength of the tube and means arranged opposite the roller in the channel for clamping the sleeve to the standard.

8. In an X-ray tube stand, a column, a member surrounding said column and adjustable therealong, said member having a bore of greater diameter than the diameter of said column providing a clearance therebetween for avoiding friction, rollers for guiding said member along said column and maintaining the spaced relation of said member and said column, a track forming channel strip extending longitudinally along the column and between the column and the surrounding member, one of said rollers engaging with said track to prevent relative rotation between said member and the column.

I. In combination, a. tubular standard for an Xray table, said standard being formed of a thin walled tube, a longitudinal guide bar secured to the side walls of the standard and upon the side facing said table, a longitudinally movable sleeve about the standard and guide bar, anti-friction rollers on the sleeve for supporting it upon the standard, said sleeve being guided longitudinally by engagement of said guide bar with the anti-friction rollers, and a clamping screw extending through said sleeve on the side opposite said guide bar.

5. In combination, a central tubular sleeve, an upper ring having bearing rollers, a lower ring having bearing rollers, said rings having counterbores for receiving the ends of said tubular sleeve, three rollers on each ring, a lug for a balancing cable extending from the top ring at a point between two rollers, and a clamping screw extending through the lower ring at a similarly situated point.

6. In combination, a central tubular sleeve, an upper ring having bearing rollers a lower ring having bearing rollers, said rings having counterbores for receiving the ends of said tubular sleeve, three rollers on each ring, a lug for a balancing cable extending from the top ring at a point between two rollers, and a clamping screw extending through the lower ring at a similarly situated point, an outer tubular sleeve fitting closely over the central sleeve, said rings having shoulders engaging the outer sleeve between them, a frame pivoted on the outer sleeve upon an axis substantially at a right angle to the axis of said outer sleeve and a clamping screw extending through said second sleeve upon the side opposite said pivoted frame.

7. In combination, a thin walled tube forming a standard, a sleeve adapted to be spported on said tube for longitudinal adjustment thereupon, said sleeve having a friction rollers at its ends, and a longitudinal guide strip secured upon the outer walls of said tube and cooperating with said rollers to permit free longitudinal move ment of the sleeve along the length of the tube but to prevent rotary movement of the sleeve.

8. In combination, a thin walled tube 'lorming a standard, a sleeve mounted upon said tube for longitudinal adjustment therealong, a longitudinal guide strip secured upon the outer cylindrical surface of the wall of said tube and means on said sleeve for cooperation with said guide strip for preventing rotary movement of the sleeve about the tube and permitting free longitudinal movement of the sleeve along the length of the tube.

9. In combination, a thin walled tube, a

supporting member mounted upon said tube for longitudinal adjustment therealong a sheet metal guide strip having a radial flange, said strip being secured upon the outer cylindrical surface of the wall of said tube and means on said supporting member for cooperation with said guide strip for preventing relative rotation between the supporting member and tube and permit-- ting free longitudinal moveu'ien't ol' the member with respect to the tube.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 15 day of February, 1922.

lVIIil il A M ME YER 

